Dog Camp:

The Ruff Outdoors is dedicated to dogs and people living their best lives in harmony, and showing people what their dogs are capable of!

This all starts with reaching animals at the thought and emotional level.

To find true balance we need to balance mental and physical health first and then we can address behavior. At day camp structured outdoor adventures are provided to encourage appropriate play, and teach dogs self control in a natural environment. Your dog will learn to calm down more easily, listen better, and experience the health and behavioral benefits camp provides- all while playing with doggie friends and enjoying nature!

Training Philosophy:

The Ruff Outdoors mostly follows « Training Between the Ears » (TBTE) training and principles developed by our colleague, Mark McCabe.

TBTE uses primarily reward and relaxation strategies to change the emotional state of dogs and help them moderate their own emotions. The techniques aim to build relationships with your dog by removing conflict, develop your dog’s self-motivation though success seeking behaviors, and changing your dog’s perception of the surrounding world so they are emotionally more relaxed and stable, and therefore resilient to external stressors.

This system incorporates behavior and perception modification to teach your dog to enjoy life in a more relaxed way by choice. Dog's are given more resourceful coping mechanisms to deal with stress and frustration and learn to enjoy relaxing in the presence of triggers that would typically cause them to react in a distressed or hyperactive way.

This positive, gentle training system is powerful and provides dogs and their humans with information and a language system that strengthens your relationship to create lasting change.

No more micro-managing your dog, enjoy a dog who can make the right decisions on their own! 

Let's Get Training!